The Procter Gamble Company

The Procter & Gamble Plaza

The Proctor 'gamble Company

David Carlton Ordway

Uwe Schneider

Koichi Morimoto

Michael Devin Long

Bradley Edward Walsh

Todd Douglas Lenser

Gene Xiaoqing Huang

Paul Anthony Kawka

Jillian Marie Franke

Mark Mason Hargett

Louis J Cedrone

Jeffry Rosiak

Jeffrey Michael Kent

Robert George Cox, Jr

Kazuya Ogawa

Justin B Owens

Jason Lee DeBruler

Eric Shawn Goudy

Kazuaki Tameishi

Raymond Scott Hamilton

Jon Kevin McLaughlin

Terry Howard Thomas

Fumitake Yamashita

Masayuki Tsuji

Huasen Zeng

Maricel Soriano Cortes

Donsub Lee

Daisuke Shiomitsu

Jason Lee Debruler

Jon Kevin Mclaughlin

A method and apparatus for mechanically deforming a substrate assembly. The substrate assembly may advance toward a bonder apparatus. The bonder apparatus may rotate about an axis of rotation and is configured to radially traverse based on the process product pitch of the substrate assembly. The bonder apparatus may include a plurality of manifolds positioned about the axis of rotation. The substrate assembly may be advanced onto the bonder apparatus such that the substrate assembly is disposed on the plurality of manifolds. The manifolds may heat fluid and release the same onto the trailing edge portion and the leading edge portion of the substrate assembly. The heated portion of the substrate assembly may then be bonded forming a seam.

Apparatuses and methods for transferring and bonding substrates

An apparatus includes a drum that rotates about an axis and rotating an anvil roll that rotates about an axis of rotation. The drum includes a fluid nozzle and a press member, the press member having an outer surface. The anvil roll includes a compliant outer circumferential surface. First and second substrates are advanced in a machine direction onto the drum. The fluid nozzle moves radially outward and a jet of heated fluid may be directed onto the substrates. The fluid nozzle retracts radially inward and the press member may be shifted radially outward. The substrates may be compressed between the press member and the anvil roll such that the press member deforms the compliant outer circumferential surface of the anvil roll.

Apparatuses and methods for bonding substrates

An apparatus and method for rotating and transferring a discrete article. The rotation apparatus may include a rib portion defining a longitudinal rib axis. A head assembly may be positioned adjacent to the rib portion. The head assembly may include a transfer member. The transfer member may define a longitudinal transfer axis. A support member extending from the transfer member toward the rib portion may rotate about the longitudinal transfer axis. A first follower and a second follower may be operatively engaged with the support member. The first follower may include a first follower outer surface defining a first longitudinal follower axis and the second follower may include a second follower outer surface defining a second longitudinal follower axis. The first follower and the second follower may be positioned such that the first longitudinal follower axis and the second longitudinal follower axis intersect the longitudinal rib axis.

Method and apparatus for rotating an absorbent article

A method includes rotating a drum about an axis and an anvil roll about an axis of rotation. The drum includes a fluid nozzle and a press member, the press member having an outer surface. The anvil roll includes a compliant outer circumferential surface. One or more substrates are advanced in a machine direction onto the drum. The fluid nozzle moves radially outward and a jet of heated fluid may be directed onto the substrates. The fluid nozzle retracts radially inward and the press member may be shifted radially outward. The substrates may be compressed between the press member and the anvil roll such that the press member deforms the compliant outer circumferential surface of the anvil roll.

Apparatus and method for applying discrete components of a first substrate to a second substrate includes a programmable servo motor having a shaft. The servo motor is programmed to rotate the shaft in a first phase and a second phase at a variable angular velocity in a single direction. The apparatus also includes a crank member connected with the shaft, a connector link connected with the crank member, and a tamper member connected with the connector link. When the shaft rotates in the first phase, the tamper member travels from a first position to a second position to displace a selected portion of the second substrate into contact with the discrete component.

Method and apparatus for attaching components to absorbent articles

A rotary drum apparatus comprises a drum that is rotatable about an axis of rotation. The apparatus comprises a first set of first shell segments having a first number of first shell segments. Each first shell segment is releasably connectable with the drum and has an outer surface. The outer surfaces of the first shell segments combine to form a continuous first outer circumferential surface defining a maximum radial distance from the axis of rotation. The apparatus comprises a second set of second shell segments having a second number of second shell segments. Each second shell segment is releasably connectable with the drum and has an outer surface. The outer surfaces of the second shell segments combine to form a continuous second outer circumferential surface located within 10% of the maximum radial distance. The first number of first shell segments is greater than the second number of second shell segments.

Rotary drum apparatus reconfigurable for various size substrates

A method and apparatus for mechanically deforming a substrate assembly. The substrate assembly may be advanced in a machine direction at a first velocity toward a bonder apparatus. The bonder apparatus may rotate about an axis of rotation and include a support surface between each of a first and a second member. The first member and the second member may be separated by a repitch angle. The second member may be repositioned such that the first member and the second member are separated by a product angle. The first member may receive a leading portion and second member may receive a trailing portion of the substrate assembly and each member may rotate at the first velocity. The leading portion and the trailing portion are separated by a product arc length, which may be equal to a process product pitch. The substrate assembly may then undergo one or more processes such as bonding, cutting, and/or scoring.

A method for mechanically deforming a substrate assembly. The substrate assembly may advance at a first velocity toward a bonder apparatus. The bonder apparatus may rotate about an axis of rotation and include a support surface between a first member and a second member. The first and second members may rotate at the first velocity and may be separated by an initial angle. The first member may receive a leading portion and the second member may receive a trailing portion of the substrate assembly. The first member may decelerate to a second velocity, and, subsequently, the second member may decelerate to the second velocity. The first member and the second member may be separated by a process angle, which may be different than the initial angle. A central portion of the substrate assembly may be relaxed while the leading and trailing portion may be held at a process tension. The substrate assembly may then undergo one or more processes.

A method for mechanically deforming, such as by bonding, a substrate assembly. The substrate assembly may be advanced at first velocity toward a bonder apparatus. The bonder apparatus may rotate at a second velocity, which is less than or equal to the first velocity. The bonder apparatus may include a support surface and a process assembly. The substrate assembly may be contracted prior to advancing onto the bonder apparatus. A first process assembly may receive a leading portion of the substrate assembly and a subsequent process assembly may receive a trailing portion. The leading portion and the trailing portion define a product arc length, which is less than or equal to a process product pitch. One or more processes may be performed on the substrate assembly. The substrate assembly may then be removed from the apparatus and advanced through a metering assembly such that the substrate assembly exits at the first velocity and may be expanded such that the leading portion and the trailing portion are separated by the process product pitch.

An apparatus and method for rotating and transferring a discrete article. The rotation apparatus may include a slot portion defining a longitudinal slot axis. A head assembly may be positioned adjacent to the slot portion. The head assembly may include a transfer member. The transfer member may define a longitudinal transfer axis. A support member extending from the transfer member toward the slot portion may rotate about the longitudinal transfer axis. A first follower and a second follower may be operatively engaged with the support member. The first follower may include a first follower outer surface defining a first longitudinal follower axis and the second follower may include a second follower outer surface defining a second longitudinal follower axis. The first follower and the second follower may be positioned such that the first longitudinal follower axis and the second longitudinal follower axis intersect the longitudinal slot axis.

The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for rejecting defective absorbent articles from a converting line. At a downstream portion of a converting process, a continuous length of absorbent articles may be subjected to a final knife and cut to create discrete absorbent articles advancing on a first carrier. From the first carrier, the discrete absorbent articles may be transferred to a transfer apparatus, which in turn, transfers the discrete absorbent articles to a second carrier. The transfer apparatus may include carrier members that orbit around an axis of rotation and may be adapted to receive the absorbent articles from the first carrier and transfer the absorbent articles to the second carrier. Defective absorbent articles may be detected by an inspection system, which may be operably connected with the transfer apparatus and/or the first carrier to remove the defective absorbent articles from the converting process.

Methods and apparatuses for rejecting defective absorbent articles from a converting line

Methods and apparatuses for transferring absorbent articles and rejecting defective absorbent articles

The apparatuses and methods herein may be configured to transport articles in the form of continuous lengths of substrates having thicknesses that varies along a machine direction and/or cross direction. The conveyance apparatuses may be configured to include a first carrier and second carrier, wherein each carrier includes an endless belt positioned adjacent to the other so as to define a nip region between the endless belts, the nip region extending in a machine direction and a cross direction. The carriers may also include compliant rollers in rolling contact with the endless belts. Each compliant roller may be elastomeric and adapted to provide a reaction force normal to the endless belt along the machine and/or cross direction of the nip region. As such, the compliant rollers help maintain and hold the endless belts in contact with both relatively thin and thick areas of the substrate advancing through the nip region.

Methods and apparatuses for conveying absorbent articles in a converting line

An apparatus for joining substrates including a rotating drum. The drum may include an outer circumferential surface and a drum aperture in the drum outer circumferential surface. The drum may be configured to continuously advance substrates. A fluid nozzle may be moveably connected to the drum and located radially inward from the drum aperture. The fluid nozzle may be adapted to direct a fluid radially outward through the drum aperture toward the substrates. The fluid may have a temperature sufficient to at least partially melt the substrates. An anvil roll may be located adjacent the drum. The anvil roll may be adapted to rotate about an axis of rotation. A press member may be moveably connected to the drum and located radially inward from the drum aperture. The press member adapted to extend through the drum aperture to compress the substrates between the anvil roll to form a bond.

An apparatus for applying discrete components of a first substrate to a second substrate includes a programmable servo motor having a shaft. The servo motor is programmed to rotate the shaft in a first phase and a second phase at a variable angular velocity in a single direction. The apparatus also includes a crank member connected with the shaft, a connector link connected with the crank member, and a tamper member connected with the connector link. When the shaft rotates in the first phase, the tamper member travels from a first position to a second position to displace a selected portion of the second substrate into contact with the discrete component.

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Oxford, OH, United States of America

David Carlton Ordway